System for forming emulsions
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A system for emulsion formation, comprising:
- a microfluidic device having a plurality of emulsion formation units each including a sample well, a droplet well, a sample inlet channel extending from the sample well to a channel intersection, and a droplet outlet channel extending from the channel intersection to the droplet well; and
an instrument that operatively receives the microfluidic device and including a fluidics assembly having a pressure sensor, the instrument being configured (a) to apply pressure to the emulsion formation units in parallel with the fluidics assembly to drive parallel generation of droplets at the channel intersections of the emulsion formation units and parallel collection of emulsions of the droplets in the droplet wells of the emulsion formation units, (b) to monitor the pressure with the pressure sensor, and (c) to stop application of the pressure to all of the emulsion formation units when the pressure sensor detects a change in pressure indicative of air entering any one of the sample inlet channels from a corresponding sample well.
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Abstract
System, including methods, apparatus, and kits, for forming emulsions. The system may include an instrument and a microfluidic chip received by the instrument. The instrument may apply pressure to prospective emulsion phases held by the chip, to drive formation and collection of emulsions in the chip. In some embodiments, the instrument may stop applying pressure to the chip when a change in pressure meeting a predefined condition is detected by the instrument. The change may indicate that an endpoint of droplet generation has been reached.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for emulsion formation, comprising:
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a microfluidic device having a plurality of emulsion formation units each including a sample well, a droplet well, a sample inlet channel extending from the sample well to a channel intersection, and a droplet outlet channel extending from the channel intersection to the droplet well; and an instrument that operatively receives the microfluidic device and including a fluidics assembly having a pressure sensor, the instrument being configured (a) to apply pressure to the emulsion formation units in parallel with the fluidics assembly to drive parallel generation of droplets at the channel intersections of the emulsion formation units and parallel collection of emulsions of the droplets in the droplet wells of the emulsion formation units, (b) to monitor the pressure with the pressure sensor, and (c) to stop application of the pressure to all of the emulsion formation units when the pressure sensor detects a change in pressure indicative of air entering any one of the sample inlet channels from a corresponding sample well. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification